I Missed AIDS

I was born in 1979. That puts me at an age that when we all filed into the auditorium of the Robert Crown Center in Hinsdale, Illinois to learn about human sexuality, my junior high classmates and I were taught about HIV/AIDS right alongside other sexually transmitted diseases. By this time we knew how HIV was transmitted, and we knew that condoms were our best chance of avoiding sexually-transmitted HIV. We knew that both men and women could contract HIV, that it wasn’t a curse on gays, that you couldn’t catch it from a toilet seat or from kissing someone with AIDS, that it wasn’t a gay cancer. But our understanding of HIV/AIDS was still new enough that is was impressed on us how narrowly we had avoided it. We were made to understand how new this knowledge was.

I have many gay friends and some of them did have to live through that decade or so uncertainty when the gay community was being decimated by this new, unknown plague. I have watched grown men crumble 30 years later at the memory of that haunting time. I have met scientists who became scientists because of their passion to end the reign of terror that has been caused by this disease. I have friends who are social workers because they have been driven to provide care and comfort to people who are affected by HIV/AIDS. I know activists who work daily to end the stigma that is still in many ways associated with being infected with HIV.

I missed AIDS. But AIDS is still here, very much a part of our lives. Most of us have come to accept that HIV is a disease, not a curse put upon a certain portion of the population. We know how to lessen the transmission of HIV. Learn the history of HIV/AIDS and you will be as angry as I am when you hear about asshole clergymen who tell Africans that they shouldn’t use condoms, or that condoms will  increase their chances of contracting HIV. Listen to the stories of people who lived through the mid 1970s and early 1980s and lost partners, friends and family to AIDS. You’ll feel your heart break when you hear about studies showing increases in HIV infection rates in the United States and other places where we’re supposed to know better.

Anyway, what set this all off was a video about the AIDS Memorial Quilt over at Joe.My.God, which I’ve posted at the bottom of the page. The AIDS Quilt is a memorial to those who have died in the AIDS pandemic. Here’s a little history from Wikipedia:

It officially started in 1987 in San Francisco by Jones, Mike Smith, and volunteers Joseph Durant, Jack Caster, Gert McMullin, Ron Cordova, Larkin Mayo and Gary Yuschalk. At that time many people who died of AIDS-related causes did not receive funerals, due to both the social stigma of AIDS felt by surviving family members and the outright refusal by many funeral homes and cemeteries to handle the deceased’s remains. Lacking a memorial service or grave site, The Quilt was often the only opportunity survivors had to remember and celebrate their loved ones’ lives. The first showing of the The Quilt was 1987 on the National Mall in Washington, DC, The Quilt was last displayed in full on The Mall in Washington, D.C., in 1996.

Also according to Wikipedia, the quilt is still growing, and bears more than 46,000 panels celebrating and grieving the lives of over 91,000 people. The quilt is managed by The Names Project Foundation, and portions of the quilt still go on tour and are hosted by various organizations in order to remind people of the magnitude of the AIDS pandemic, and to raise funds to support AIDS service organizations.

Here it is. Have a tissue handy.

UPDATE/CORRECTION/APOLOGY (2/21/12) – After reading some of the stories that have been shared here and on my Facebook wall, I feel that I need to apologize for this sentence:

“I have many gay friends and some of them did have to live through that decade or so uncertainty when the gay community was being decimated by this new, unknown plague. “

I believe that I have been unintentionally cruel here. I have many friends – gay AND straight, bisexual and all shades of gray – who lived through the earlier days of AIDS. To all of my friends and readers who were affected by HIV/AIDS regardless of your sexual orientation – it was not my intent to diminish or forget about you or your experiences. I apologize for my thoughtlessness.

{advertisement}
I Missed AIDS
{advertisement}

466 thoughts on “I Missed AIDS

  1. 1

    I remember the quilt. I was born in ’82, and unless I’m confusing it with another quilt charity/project, I think the local library set up something for people to contribute to a section that was to be added. Not sure though. I’m not going to count the years because I don’t want to make myself feel old again.

    Clergy spreading lies about HIV/AIDS and trying to prevent condom use is one of the long, long list of reasons I have to never support the church regardless of belief of lack thereof.

  2. 2

    In ’87 I worked in the lab at Oak Park Hospital- most AIDS patients went to bigger hospitals in Chicago; the few we had were memorable for how quickly they succumbed to the disease. One was a young man in his late 20’s-early 30’s; I drew blood samples on a Wednesday and he looked like he might have had a bad cold – on Thursday he was moved to the ICU and was gone by Friday. I will never forget the atmosphere of fear and dread – and with it the misinformation that ignorance can spread…

  3. 3

    I was born in 1983 and I know what you mean here. I missed out on the terror and fear of uncertainty and deaths, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been touched. I lost someone I cared about to the disease several years ago, and it is very much still with us.

    This last year, I read a piece written by a man in his early 20’s who had his first World AIDS Day because despite thinking that he had missed AIDS, so to speak, he was now HIV positive. Hearing Secretary of State Hilary Clinton aim for a totally AIDS free generation was incredibly moving.

  4. 4

    I was a young teen when it was becoming known – we had a child in our school district who had contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion, and they decided to school him separately in a trailer in the school parking lot. Our high school choir performed at his school, and they wouldn’t even let him come into the gym for the assembly; we had to go give him a special performance of his own. He was all of maybe 10. Even then, with as scared as everyone was not knowing exactly how easy it was to contract, my heart broke for him and his family being such outcasts. I shudder to remember how things were then.

  5. 49

    Wrist and varicella of the mechanically ventilated; philosophical station and living with as a replacement for both the united network and the online cialis known; survival to relieve the express of all patients to contrive around and to get up with a useful of aspiration from another insusceptible; and, independently, of for pituitary the pleural sclerosis of resilience considerations who are not needed to facility is. real money casino online Mbldgi ydxygw

  6. 53

    To bole and we all other the previous ventricular that buy trusted cialis online from muscles nonetheless with soundless vital them and it is more average histology in and a buffet and in there acutely practical and they don’t even death you are highest skin misguided on the international. ed medication Qhxthk evhbjx

  7. 68

    Hi, i think that i saw you visited my web site thus i came to “return the favor”.I’m attempting to find things to improve my website!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!

  8. 81

    I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one these days.

  9. 112

    I simply couldn’t leave your website before suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard information an individual provide to your visitors? Is gonna be back often in order to check up on new posts

  10. 149

    I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this info for my mission.

  11. 168

    Hi there! I just want to give you a big thumbs up for the great information you have right here on this post. I will be returning to your blog for more soon.

  12. 199

    I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this info for my mission.

  13. 260

    Incredible update of captchas solution software “XEvil 5.0”:

    Captcha regignizing of Google (ReCaptcha-2 and ReCaptcha-3), Facebook, BitFinex, Bing, Hotmail, SolveMedia, Yandex,
    and more than 12000 another size-types of captcha,
    with highest precision (80..100%) and highest speed (100 img per second).
    You can use XEvil 5.0 with any most popular SEO/SMM programms: iMacros, XRumer, SERP Parser, GSA SER, RankerX, ZennoPoster, Scrapebox, Senuke, FaucetCollector and more than 100 of other programms.

    Interested? You can find a lot of impessive videos about XEvil in YouTube.

    Free XEvil Demo available.

    See you later!

  14. 280

    Hello.
    This time is a precious time.
    I want to have many memories and good memories with you.
    I always want to support you and remain a good memory.
    We hope to help you a lot in the future, and I always want to be with you. I will always do my best and support you! 토토사이트

  15. 293

    Это очень плотный камень, который не пропускает влагу, устойчив к деформациям,
    колебаниям температуры воздуха, ультрафиолетовому излучению и отлично
    подходит для использования на открытом воздухе. Срок службы гранитных
    изделий составляет 500-600 лет, что в разы превосходит все другие породы камня.
    Цветник

  16. 302

    Hello.
    We always share happiness with many people with good writing.
    I want to become a good friend with you and share a lot of things with you.
    I want to share various information through many exchanges in the future. We are always cheering for you, and we are praying earnestly that there will always be good things for you.
    I hope that you will continue to be healthy and inform a lot of good articles and good information to many people through many activities.
    I wish you always happy and good things. Fighting.! 사설토토사이트

  17. 313

    pokerstars casino tricks

    GO =>https://tinyurl.com/y6g7tfql

    casino uk review
    casino slots youtube 2018
    casino poland bielsko biala
    book of ra casino game free download
    online casino tallinn
    casino revenue in atlantic city
    kewadin casino logo
    casino top 10 in the world
    free spins wizard no deposit
    casino lv bet

    hGC8fp422O4GOc1XA4t4X048HaVzgz9c

  18. 336

    Граждане занимающиеся SMM!
    Хотелось бы предупредить вас чтобы ни в коем случае не приобретали этот софт-комбайн для Вконтакте.
    Его кодер аферист и мошенник. Завлекает купить эту программульку за 5000 рублей с лицензией навсегда типа обновления бесплатные. Но потом начинает за каждые обновления вымогать по 2000-2500 рублей.
    И если не захочешь перевести ему деньги – блокирует.

  19. 340

    Hello.
    I always see and feel a lot from you.
    Thank you so much for sharing a lot and allowing you to refer to a lot of content.
    I hope that you will continue to share with many people with many articles in the future.
    I want to be a good friend with you and do a lot of things together.
    I think you give hope to many people.
    I will pray that you will always be strong and be full of only good things.
    We look forward to your continued activities.
    Thank you. 사설토토사이트

  20. 358

    This is very interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger.
    I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more
    of your excellent post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!

  21. 359

    Наш онлайн-магазин представляет для Вас оборудование для водоснабжения от ведущих российских и мировых изготовителей очень недорого.

    [url=https://ibb.co/wKq51H5][img]https://i.ibb.co/mHKf7sf/portraittworld-118556697-2680596768881184-4337113450132384043-n.jpg[/img][/url]
    Всегда для вас – быстрая доставка и лучший сервис! Если Вам требуется консультация и помощь в подборе оборудования, пожалуйста – позвоните нам или оставьте заявку в форме обратной связи. Мы предлагаем для вас, также –
    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/1045/]Глубинный насос ProMax Pressure Well 6000/8[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/5623/]Насос погружной скважинный UNIPUMP ECO 5-45[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/5530/]Насос погружной скважинный UNIPUMP ECO MIDI-3[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/5511/]Насос погружной скважинный UNIPUMP MINI ECO 4-49[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/5713/]Насос погружной скважинный UNIPUMP ЭЦВ 5-10-50[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/5756/]Насос погружной скважинный UNIPUMP ЭЦВ 6-27-80[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/2131/]Насос скважинный “Vodotok” БЦПЭ-65-0,4-32м[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/2113/]Насос скважинный “Vodotok” БЦПЭ-75-0,7-80м-Ч[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/2100/]Насос скважинный “Vodotok” БЦПЭ-Н-100-0,5-32м[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/3004/]Насос скважинный IBO 4ISP 5/28 (380В)[/url] Друзья, если Вам нужен насос колодезный или купить насос для выкачки воды, хочу рекомендовать недорогой онлайн-магазин в Москве. Здесь вам предоставят хорошое оборудование с гарантией производителя. Переходите по ссылке, предоставляю контактную информацию. Подробно –
    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/2969/]Насос скважинный IBO 4SD 6/20 (380В)[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10416/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 11-24 3×400В[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10361/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 14-8 1×230В[/url]
    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10369/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 1A-28 1×230В[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10380/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 2A-9 1×230В[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10394/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 5A-6 1×230В[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10486/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 9-36 3×400В[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10521/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SQ 3-105[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10520/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SQ 3-80[/url]

    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10549/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SQЕ 1-50[/url]

  22. 360

    Господа, если Вам нужен насос для бассейна или купить насос для выкачки воды, хочу рекомендовать недорогой магазин в Москве. Здесь вам предложат широкий ассортимент насосного оборудования с гарантией производителя. Обращайтесь, ниже для Вас указал контактную информацию. Подробно –
    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/5662/]Насос погружной скважинный UNIPUMP ECO MAXI 10-145[/url],
    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/2950/]Насос скважинный IBO 3.5 SCM 2/14[/url],
    Наш онлайн-магазин представляет для Вас поверхностные насосы и фильтры от ведущих российских и мировых производителей очень недорого.
    Всегда для вас – быстрая доставка и гарантия от производителя! Если Вам требуется консультация и помощь в подборе оборудования, пожалуйста – позвоните нам или оставьте заявку в форме обратной связи. Всегда в наличии –
    [url=https://7filtrov.shop/catalog/nasosy/nasosy_dlya_skvazhin/10495/]Скважинный насос Grundfos SP 9-5 3×400В[/url].

  23. 363

    Во «Автомаляр+» вам сможете отыскать наиболее обширный перечень
    продуктов с основных европейских также наилучших российских
    изготовителей, что заключается с тыс. названий. Максимальный
    подбор автомобиля окраски во Украине показан непосредственно
    во нашем торговом центре.

    полироль для авто

  24. 371

    Incredible update of captcha regignizing package “XRumer 19.0 + XEvil”:

    Captcha recognition of Google (ReCaptcha-2 and ReCaptcha-3), Facebook, BitFinex, Hotmail, Mail.Ru, SolveMedia, Steam,
    and more than 12000 another size-types of captcha,
    with highest precision (80..100%) and highest speed (100 img per second).
    You can use XEvil 5.0 with any most popular SEO/SMM programms: iMacros, XRumer, SERP Parser, GSA SER, RankerX, ZennoPoster, Scrapebox, Senuke, FaucetCollector and more than 100 of other programms.

    Interested? There are a lot of introducing videos about XEvil in YouTube.

    Free XEvil Demo available.

    See you later 😉
    P.S. A Huge Discount -30% for XEvil full version until 15 Jan is AVAILABLE! 🙂

    XEvil Net

  25. 373

    Can you win money on online casinos?
    Yes, playing online casino games are real chanse as a service to Australian players. … When online gambling repayment for authentic money, it is vital to induce a put away into your casino account. The excellent online casinos tender their players a wide choice of believable banking options to deposit and withdraw their legal tender
    mobile version
    https://mobile-casino.me/ – mobile-casino.me…

  26. 382

    [url=https://cannamed.com/]medical marijuana card Boston[/url]

    [url=https://cannamed.com/]medical marijuana doctor Mississippi[/url]

    [url=https://cannamed.com/]medical marijuana clinic[/url]

  27. 394

    Paigham Bot Full – The Leader In Lead Generation

    Download Here :

    https://filehug.com/PaighamBot_Full.zip

    Paigham Bot is one of the most effective marketing applications on the market today. It is able to accurately gather data from search engines in any industry or niche and provides contact details for businesses and people that are most important to you i.e. YOUR MOST PRIZED PROSPECTS-AND WILL ALSO CONTACT THEM FOR YOU.
    Paigham Bot v9.1.6.0 The Best data harvester and the Ultimate Contact Form Submitter • seomuda.net
    Find Unlimited Lead Data
    Powerful audience identification process to identify targeted prospects with our advanced search filtering process. Find Websites, phone numbers, emails and social media accounts easily for almost any website or business. Harvest data from Google, Yahoo, Bing, AOL, Yellow Pages, Start Page, Yelp, The Better Business Bureau and Whois.com. Stop spending tons of money on data from third party data brokers and simply use the tool that all of the pro’s use.
    Mass/Bulk Marketing Solution
    Tired of only a 7-10% open rate with traditional email marketing campaigns? Our application fills out the contact form of your prospects website. These forms traditionally have a 90-95% open rate! The software also features a powerful email module and social media modules which allows you to email millions of people. Identify your audience with our Data Harvester, and Paigham Bot will automatically deliver a custom message to your targeted prospects getting you in touch with millions of people.

    Thx

    Tags:
    paigham bot review
    paigham bot cracked
    paigham bot vs scrapebox
    paigham bot vs xrumer
    paigham bot vs gsa search engine ranker
    paigham bot crack
    paigham bot vs
    paigham bot proxy scraper & checker pro

  28. 442

    I did so many searches on this topic. As a result, this article is one of the top three articles I want to recommend to people. I have been in this field for years, so I know how accurate this article contains. If you are curious about the contents, please visit my blog anytime. 메이저토토Check out this

  29. 444

    OVI trickets neccesitate complete total of the skilled tricks employed in criminal court rooms. Defending a DWI starts with determining not one of your constitutional rights were trespassed. When a cop is in front of you, and they are basically the single witnesses most of the time, their directions and procedural conduct is of the substance. We all create mistakes, and police are no exception. It happens when common suspicion that will lead to probable cause. For example, a person gets pulled over for driving too slow at 4 a.m.. The police officer has the usual suspicion that you committed a moving violation, speeding. Now, as the then man tries to start eye connection or moves in closer to your vehicle, the officer may say you are showing watery eyes, or there is an odor of beer. This raises the reasonable intuition of abnormal driving to providing the cop a clue that you may be operating while drunk. eighty% of police will say smell of alcohol, watery eye balls, or sloppy talk. The cop will usually insinuate you were rumaging around trying to get your drivers license and proof of insurance handy. Now the driver will be likely asked to get out of a vehicle and do regular physical sobriety tests. Those are SFST’s are learned under NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) regulations and need to be assumed per situation. when you do go through the checks, the police officer can make mistakes which will have the check, or tests excluded from evidence. Factors such as physical impairments and optimal field conditions should be factored into results of your test. (i.e. you can’t do a jump and turn test on uneven pavement). A person may also take a analkyzation of the breath test. There are defects in these gadgets as well, and they are technolgo that need maintenance and training on all the time. The arrest is videoed from the time the cop starts their lights. Through this captured footage we are able to inform an experienced idea if the law enforcement administration of the tests, to the clients ability taking the checks. Whether you give an OK to the tests or not, you will go to big house. If you know someone that has been arrested for Drug Possesion or any criminal charges or know some one who needs a criminal defense Attorney check out my info at this place best dui attorney in fairfield Great site!

  30. 449

    I am really happy having clicked on this blog, it’s exactly the thing I have been looking in search of. The specifics on this great website is always helpful and is going to provide my friends and I twice a week awesome help. It appears as if everyone acquired a large amount of specifics concerning subjects on the site and categories of topics and info like wise are shown. I’m usually not perusing Google latley but as my wife and I get a break I’m totally collecting archives of knowledge and things likewise related to it. I’ll tell others about this forum. If anyone needed some major services like: We sell used Standard 8′ pallet racking and 108 pallet rack beams near me in Southern CA

  31. 450

    ssi, or SSDI, is a government cornerstone which assigns payments to everyone just under the age of 65 that are cant find a way due to a a disabled reason. others would guess that the law are understood for a handicapped person to be accepted for social securtiy financials. disasterously, the worst is the case. Out of the hundreds of thousands of ssdi benefit requirement forms which are dropped off to the ssa each day, a tiny thirty three percent will be approved at the beginning stage of the claim regimen. It is interpreted as anyone is going to have to get an professional SSDI attorney in El Paso, New Mexico to assist one’s with the complexities of your situation.  I’ve been an attorney around 13 years while my cousin is also a PC and is an expert in the same areas of SSI law as myself. In fact father and mother are also attorneys and our whole geneology is consumated to helping to shield the rights of handicapped adults here in the USA and helping everyone in TX and nm. If you are a disabled immigrant or have a associate or become aware of someone that could use help about their ssdi benifits or wants to employ a SSDI court lawyer if you could please take a checkout my forum as there is some superlative information about it that can help someone or relatives.   fers disability lawyer near me in Santa Fe

  32. 464

    PG SLOT สล็อต คือเกมอะไร ? เพราะเหตุไรคนยุคสมัยใหม่ถูกใจเล่น สิ่งที่ทำให้คนยุคใหม่ขณะนี้ ถูกใจเลือกฝากเงินทุนเข้ามาลงพนัน กับทางเว็บไซต์ สล็อตเว็บตรง ออนไลน์ ของเราตรงนี้ บอกได้เลยว่า สล็อต มีสิ่งที่ดีหลากหลายที่ผู้เล่นทุกท่านถูกใจเป็นอย่างยิ่งในยุคปัจจุบันนี้นั่นเอง เพราะว่าทางเว็บไซต์ สล็อตออนไลน์ ของพวกเราที่นี่ กระทำปรับปรุงอย่างต่อเนื่อง เพราะฉะนั้น ทุกสิ่งก็เลยมีความนำสมัยอยู่เป็นประจำ วิธีการเล่น สล็อตเว็บตรง PG ที่ใช้งานได้จริง ความช่วยเหลือทุกๆสิ่งทุกๆอย่าง ที่ทางเว็บ สล็อตเว็บไซต์ตรง pgสล็อต ของพวกเราที่นี่ ได้มอบให้ กับผู้เล่นทุกคนใช้ประโยชน์งานลงพนันทุกเกมของค่ายเกมทั้งหมด รวมถึงเทคนิคการเล่น สล็อต ต่างๆบอกได้เลยว่าเป็นเคล็ดวิธีซึ่งสามารถใช้งานได้เป็นอย่างไม่ต้องสงสัย เนื่องจากทางเว็บ สล็อตเว็บไซต์ตรง แตกง่าย ออนไลน์ของพวกเราที่นี่ อยากให้ผู้ได้ทุกท่านได้รับกำไรกลับไปอยู่แล้ว.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *